Friday, February 8, 2013

London Bridge--1950-60's Willmar Version


This version of the song is different from anything I see on the internet.  I am not sure of my memory, but am trying to figure out how we played it in the Willmar neighborhood.

Two children form an arch with their hands.  The other children form a line (of pairs holding hands? or singly?) which goes under the arch,  as the game goes, the line becomes a circle.

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair Lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay,
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair Lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away,
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair Lady.

Build it up with sticks and stones,
Bricks and mortar, sticks and stones,
Build it up with sticks and stones,
My fair Lady.

Build it up with iron bars,
iron bars, iron bars.
Build it up with iron bars,
My fair Lady.

Build it up with silver and gold,
silver and gold, silver and gold.
Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair Lady.

(The arch comes down, trapping a person (or a pair?), who are swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the song)

Back to the workhouse you must go,
you must go, you must go.
Back to the workhouse you must go,
my fair lady.

(The arch joins the circle, and the entrapped pair become the new arch, and the game continues.)

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